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Two-year-old Dax Theodore Babcock was at his Lower Southampton Township home with his mom and an older sibling when sudden, strong winds swept through the area on Saturday, April 22, Daily Voice reported.
The winds split a nearby tree, and a large bough fatally struck the boy, Bucks County Coroner Meredith Buck has said. His mother and sibling were unharmed.
“This horrible tragedy was an unforeseen act of nature,” Coroner Buck said at the time. "It fell without warning, striking the child’s head. My heart goes out to the family as they grieve this unimaginable loss.”
In the weeks that followed, Dax's family set up a GoFundMe page to collect memorial donations at the suggestion of loved ones and well-wishers.
"It is with extreme sadness that we are creating this page," organizer Michael Babcock wrote. "We know many people are struggling to find ways to honor or show their love in this trying time."
As of Friday, May 5, the fundraising effort has garnered a staggering $22,000 within just two days of going live. The money, says the Babcock family on GoFundMe, will go toward a permanent tribute in Dax's memory.
"We are still deciding on the project(s) that will be completed and several uplifting ideas are being considered," organizer Michael wrote. "Talks and ideas have ranged from things like dedicating park equipment, to dreams as large as a Community Park in Dax's name."
However the final project takes shape, Dax's loved ones say they are heartened by the embrace they've received from friends, neighbors, and well-wishers in the community.
"While we struggle to seek out the good bits mixed among the chaos, we truly can say that the outpour of love and support has been a beacon to turn to," Michael wrote. "We cannot explain in words the uplift this positivity is bringing us."
Christopher Cummins, Chief of the Feasterville Fire Company who responded to the call on April 24, said in a statement on Facebook that his experience with the Babcock family "truly changed (him) as a person in a lot of ways."
"It is a call that I will never forget and one I hope to never respond to again. His family is truly remarkable," Cummins said.
"I met with them a couple of days after the accident and words can’t describe what they must be going through," the Chief wrote. "They have an amazing family and neighbors."
"Let’s get together as a Community and put together something in his memory."
Click here to support Dax Babcock's memory on GoFundMe.com.
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